Cycle Around Japan takes us to Iwate, a large prefecture on the Pacific coast in the Tohoku region. We will start our summer journey from Morioka, the prefectural capital, and ride into the mountain region. Our first stop will be Tono,a rural town in the hills of central Iwate. Tono is best known as a repository of Japanese folklore due to its legends of supernatural creatures. Then we will visit the Sanriku region, the Pacific coast area where was badly hit by the March 2011 tsunami. The reconstruction process is still going on and will take many more years. We will meet the local residents who try to live in these coastal towns and villages. As we again will cycle through the Kitakami Mountains, we will see unique traditions, still thriving in remote villages. So, please join us a 350-kilometer ride through Iwate Prefecture.